The Archbishop of Wales, Andrew John, has paid tribute to the Queen at the service being held at Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff.

He said: "Her late Majesty was also a towering figure on the world stage, embodying stability and continuity but more than that, values which are shared across nations and cultures.

"She received countless heads of state as well as innumerable prime ministers. It was her abiding trustworthiness as well as her hospitality which kindled friendship and confidence."

Image source, Getty Images

Pope Francis will not be attending the Queen's funeral on Monday, the Vatican says.

Instead the Pope's de-facto foreign minister will go in his place.

The Vatican says in a statement: "The Most Reverend Paul Gallagher, secretary for relations with states and international organisations, will represent Pope Francis at the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II."Over recent months the Pope has suffered ongoing knee trouble that has impacted his mobility. In a July trip to Canada he spent much of his visit in a wheelchair.

Crowds have gathered to watch the King's visit much like they will to watch Wales at the football World Cup this winter.

A large screen has been erected at Cathedral Green, in Cardiff, showing the service for the life of the Queen at Llandaff Cathedral.

'Overwhelming excitement' as King arrives in Walespublished at 12:04 British Summer Time 16 September 2022

12:04 BST 16 September 2022

Nicola Smith
BBC Wales News

Image source, Jacob King/PA Wire

There was such a feeling of anticipation here as the crowds waited for the King and Queen Consort.

It was quiet, as we all listened for the cheers in the distance, that would signal His Majesty had arrived.

When his car appeared, glinting in the bright sunshine, the cheers grew much louder.

Flags, flowers, all here in abundance along with an overwhelming sense of excitement that the King had finally arrived.

Malu Cursino
Reporting from Southwark Park, south-east London

About two hours after the government first announced it, the gates to Southwark Park in south-east London are being closed. Members of the public will not be able to join the back of the queue to pay respects to the Queen at Westminster Hall.

The queue is at capacity and entry will be paused for six hours, the government has said.

Read more on this here.

Malu Cursino
Reporting from Southwark Park, south east London

Back in south east London, no barriers have been put down yet in Southwark Park, and stewards continue to advise people to join the queue, but the sign has changed to say the waiting time is 14 hours and the queue will be temporarily paused.

People remain in high spirits, but everyone is confused about what happens next as they bid to witness the Queen's coffin lying in state.

Image source, Getty Images

Also in attendance at Llandaff Cathedral is Prime Minister Liz Truss, in what is her first visit to Wales as PM.

She was greeted by the cathedral's Dean Michael Komor upon her arrival to the service for the life of Queen Elizabeth II.

The service at Llandaff Cathedral is under way. The order of service is a balance of English and Welsh content; the Archbishop will give the address and the first minister will be called upon to give a reading.

Llandaff Cathedral was severely damaged by a bomb during an air raid on Cardiff in January 1941; the Queen attended a service to mark the end of the repairs in August 1960.

Image source, PA Media

Charles and Camilla are now at Llandaff Cathedral, where they will attend a service of prayer and reflection for the life of the Queen.

The King and the Queen Consort were received by the First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford and the Secretary of State for Wales Sir Robert Buckland, as well as several other Welsh political figures.

Crowds have gathered to welcome King Charles III on his first visit to Wales as monarch.

People started arriving in Cardiff from as early as 03:00 BST to get the best view.

"I want to be here to pay my respects and to see my new King," said one early riser.

He and the Queen consort will attend a service at Llandaff Cathedral before heading to the Senedd to accept a motion of condolence and holding an audience with First Minister Mark Drakeford at Cardiff Castle.

A gun salute is taking place at Cardiff Castle to welcome the King and the Queen Consort to Wales.

The King has just arrived in Cardiff by helicopter, accompanied by the Queen Consort.

We've reported that entry to the queue is being paused as Southwark Park reaches capacity - it now sounds like the accessible queue is filling up too.

"The accessible queue is very busy and time slots for this afternoon have now filled up," a government announcement reads, external.

"There are long wait times - please consider this before making your way to the accessible queue.

Image source, Getty Images

King Charles is making his first visit to Wales today as monarch, although he has visited many times as Prince of Wales.

The King has vividly recalled feeling embarrassed in 1958, as he sat with friends in school while they watched his mother make the announcement that he was to become Prince of Wales.

His formal investiture was in 1969 at Caernarfon Castle, attended by 4,000 guests. The event was watched by 19 million people in the UK and another 500 million around the world.

He has held the title longer than any other Prince of Wales in history, and after passing it to his son, Prince William, he said it was one he had been "greatly privileged" to bear.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said he had a "very warm" conversation with Prince William after he was named Prince of Wales.

Matthew Sydney
Reporting from Highgrove House

King Charles III along with Camilla, the Queen Consort, have left Highgrove House in Tetbury, Gloucestershire.

They are now on their way to Cardiff ahead of his first trip to the Welsh capital since the death of the Queen.

Around a dozen people came to the entrance of to bid farewell to the couple as they left for Wales this morning.

The pair sat in the back of a car, followed by two vehicles, as members of the public watched them leave in the sunshine.

The King has been staying at his beloved country residence since Wednesday.

Image source, Reuters

First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford, who is set to meet King Charles later in Cardiff, tells the BBC he will ask the King about his wellbeing.

He tells Radio 4's Today programme: "The first thing I'll say is to sympathise with him on the enormous loss that he will have suffered".

Drakeford says he will also ask how Charles is "given the struggle it must be to deal with grief on the one hand and the enormous burden of ceremonial duties that he's had to discharge in the first week."

He adds "the vast bulk of people in Wales" will have personal sympathy for the King who will be visiting the Senedd - the Welsh devolved Parliament.

Image source, Reuters

It's been confirmed that, at the King’s request, both the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex will be in uniform when they take part in a vigil beside the Queen's coffin on Saturday evening.

Prince Harry has worn a morning suit at public events since the Queen's death.

It means the vigil will be the first time he has been seen in military uniform since stepping back as a senior royal in 2020.

The brothers will be joined by the Queen's six other grandchildren to observe a 15-minute vigil at her lying in state.

They are Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Lady Louise Windsor, and James, Viscount Severn.

Malu Cursino
Reporting from Southwark Park

Down here at Southwark Park, the news that the queue is about to be paused is flltering through, but for the moment stewards are continuing to let people join.

Everyone is walking briskly, but there’s little talk about the six-hour pause on entry that the government has announced.

Read more here.

The government has announced that entry to the queue will be paused for at least six hours as Southwark Park - the starting point of the queue - has reached capacity.

It has advised people not to attempt to join until it re-opens.

Malu Cursino
Reporting from Southwark Park

Image source, .

The queue to see the Queen lying in state now stretches five miles, with an extraordinary 14-hour waiting time.

At the back of the long line in Southwark Park, on the south bank of the Thames, I have been chatting to Sanjay and Sardah, who are both from Mauritius. They are waiting to get their wristbands which mean they have an official place.

The siblings said they felt a duty to queue up and pay their respects to the late Queen despite knowing they might not reach Westminster Hall until this evening.

They lost their father only three days before Queen Elizabeth died, and they will be returning to Mauritius with his ashes sometime next week.

Like the hundreds and hundreds of others joining the queue here, they know they have a long wait ahead. But that's no bother. “She was everyone’s grandmother," says Sanjay.